Assalamu Alaikum:
Well I have been told here by learned in my city that it is obligatory to pray two Rakats post-Fard (Ishaa),simultaneously 1/3/5/7... Rakats of Witr are also obligatory.
????????
Regards.
Wa `alaykum salaam wa rahmatullaah
The opinion of the Jumhoor (majority of the scholars) is that the only obligatory prayers are the 5 daily prayers and nothing else and there are numerous evidences for this like the hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari (1891) and Muslim (11) from Talhah ibn ‘Ubayd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said:
A man came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, what prayers has Allaah enjoined on me?” He said: “The five prayers, unless you do anything voluntarily.” The version narrated by Muslim says: “Five prayers every day and night.” He said: “Do I have to do anything else?’ He said, “No, unless you do it voluntarily.”
But one should try and pray Witr and pray the 12 sunnah, [i.e 2 before fajar, 4 before Dhuhr (prayed as 2 by 2) and 2 after Dhuhr, 2 after Maghrib, 2 after `Ishaa']. A person should try his best to increase in voluntary prayer in the night as this is something that softens one's heart and takes him much closer to Allaah. If only we were to see the great reward that Allaah has prepared for those who offer voluntary prayers, then surely we would pray all day and all night.
Also can any Br clear whether index finger is to be moved continuously while reciting whole ''Tashahhud'' or it needs to be moved once while reciting ''Ash hadu allaa ilaah ilallaahu" during ''Tashahhud''.
With regards to movement of the finger during Tashahhud, then the sunnah is to point it throughout the entire tashahhud *without* moving it, till the Tasleem and the evidence is based on the narration of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn al-Zubayr who said:
When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sat during the prayer, he would place his left foot between his thigh and calf, and tuck his right foot underneath him, and place his left hand on his left knee, and place his right hand on his right thigh, and point with his finger. [Narrated by Muslim, 579]
The above opinion was held by many of our contemporary scholars like Shaykh Muqbil, Shaykh `Abdullaah al-Fawzaan and others.
The opinion of the Jumhoor (majority of the scholars) is that one should
not move his finger, and many scholars regarded this as Makrooh. This was the opinion held by the likes of Imaam al-Nawawi, Ibn Qudaamah and other than them. And as shaykh `Abdullaah al-Fawzaan said that none of the Fiqh books from the salaf had a chapter on moving the finger during Tashahhud.
WAllaahu a`lam
Wassalaamu `alaykum
:tti_sister:
brother for the helpful information. 
